“I threw my baby into the river!” This was the confession of a Christian African woman. This horrible act troubled her conscience after she was saved. She asked if God would forgive such a crime as that. She was told He would, for He “loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Rev. 1:5.
While still an unbeliever she was not burdened before God; she sorrowed only because she missed her dear little one. But after accepting the Lord Jesus as her Saviour she realized how awful this deed was in the sight of a holy God.
You may say, “What a wicked woman! Didn’t she love her child?” Oh, yes, she did. She would not have thrown her baby into the river unless she had been forced to do so. The reason she did so was because its first teeth grew on its upper jaw instead of the lower. The unwritten tribal law demands that such a child should be disposed of, otherwise it will grow up to be a very undesirable person, causing sickness, death and other dreadful calamities. Now if the mother refuses to keep this heathen custom, others will steal the child and destroy it.
We naturally think some heathen practices are very bad. So they are. But let us stop to consider what an awful act it is to refuse God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom He sent into the world to die for sinful man! “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23. Truly it is unspeakable love on God’s part to give His Son to die in our stead.
God’s gracious invitation is, “All things are ready; come.” Matt. 22:4. How good it would be if you who are unsaved would accept this invitation and thus possess eternal life in Christ Jesus. “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7.
ML 04/19/1959